


Hidden Princes

by eerian_sadow



Series: Two Princes [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, fairy tale format, telling a story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-01
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 20:24:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1996656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a huge battle, Jazz, Prowl and Swoop are stuck in medbay recovering.  They need to pass the time, and Dinobots love stories...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> written for [](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/)**prowlxjazz** 's April 2011 Challenge. the themes were royalty and wedding.

It hadn’t been the worst battle they had been in, by any stretch of the imagination, but it hadn’t been good. It was, in fact, the kind of battle that left them all wondering which side had been the victor that day. Even the humans had been more battered than usual at the end of everything.

No one had died, but it had been a very close thing.

Ratchet’s medbay was full of patients too injured to return to their own quarters and Jazz walked among them, making sure no mech was alone or forgotten in the aftermath. Most of them were in recharge now, but he had been able to give a few comforting words to Beachcomber and Groove—both among the worst injuries—before stopping at Prowl’s side. The tactician had provided a distraction for Menasor to protect a group of school children and their teachers, and he had come into the medbay with more damaged plating that Jazz could ever remember seeing on anyone who was still online.

How Prowl had managed to survive was anyone’s guess, but he had and Ratchet and First Aid’s had worked their usual magic on him. All Prowl required now was rest and a fresh coat of paint.

“What you Jazz am doing?”

Jazz was startled by the gravelly voice behind him. He hadn’t realized Swoop was online when he stopped at Prowl’s berth. He turned and gave the young mech a smile. “Just checking up on everyone. I know Ratch and Aid repaired everyone, but I feel better when I look them over myself. How’s the wing, Swoop?”

The Dinobot grimaced at the mention of the wing that Menasor had torn off during the battle. “It hurt. Him Ratchet put back on, but need time to heal right.”

“You want me to get you something for the pain? I know where Ratchet keeps the good stuff.”

Swoop grinned at Jazz’s tone, but shook his head. “Me rather hurt than have fuzzy feeling in head.”

“I feel that way about them myself.” Jazz grabbed the stool that he’d tucked away by Prowl’s berth earlier in the evening and set it down next to Swoop’s. Then he sat down on it, careful of his own—much more minor—mending injuries. “I’ll just sit here and keep you company for a while then. Better than laying here on your own and feeling miserable, right?”

Swoop nodded. “What us can do? Us not want wake them other Autobots.”

“Something quiet,” the saboteur replied. “But maybe just loud enough for Beachcomber and Groove, too. They aren’t feeling so great either.”

“Like,” Swoop’s optics lit up mischievously, “Story? Will you Jazz tell story?”

“You do like a good story, don’t you, Swoop?” Jazz chuckled softly. “Sure, I’ll tell a story. What do you want to hear?”

“Me want happy story. Him Kup tell war stories all time, but sometimes me Swoop want here something nicer.”

“A happy story, huh?” The black and white mech made a show of thinking hard. “I think I know just the thing.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Long ago on the planet Cybertron, there was a great city. It was called Altihex and was ruled over by a fair and just mech named Dancer and his bondmate Starsong. Dancer and Starsong had two sparklings during their reign, called Symphony and Whistler. The people of Altihex loved their princes as dearly as their king and queen and knew they would continue to be ruled fairly when the king and queen were gone._

_But one day, to the people’s great sorrow, mechs came from another city to conquer Altihex and add it to the empire of Polyhex. The king and queen were deactivated and the princes disappeared._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

“Jazz! Me Swoop want happy story!” The Dinobot gave him a frown.

“Ya gotta give me time, mech! Sometimes the happiest stories start off sad.” Jazz gave him a smile. “Like those fairy tales Carly reads to Daniel. They don’t always start off happy, do they?”

Swoop shook his head. “No, me guess not.”

“All right then. Can I get back to the story now?”

“Yes. Me Swoop let you Jazz tell story.”

“Okay.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_And so, Altihex fell to the warriors of Polyhex and the city fell into a dark time. The people mourned the loss of their king and queen and hoped and prayed that their princes were still online and would come back and free them._

_The princes, however, knew nothing of war or fighting, and so they had run from their city hoping only to survive to see the next day. They didn’t know where they were going, as they did not have the benefit of a map or a guide, but they would be satisfied with anyplace that wasn’t Polyhex or any of its subjugated cities._

_They ran until Whistler’s systems gave out from lack of fuel. Symphony dragged his brother along for little longer, but eventually he collapsed too. As he slipped offline, he prayed that someone kind would come along and help them._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Does someone nice find them princes?” Swoop picked at the edge of the thermal wrap Ratchet had draped over him hours before.

“Well, you’d know if you let me tell the story.” Jazz couldn’t help but grin at the young mech’s enthusiasm.

“Sorry. Me Swoop get excited sometimes.”

“It’s all right. You need some energon or anything before we settle back in?”

The Dinobot shook his head. “No. Me Swoop am fine.”

“Okay.” Jazz shifted a little on his stool and began telling the story again.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_The princes were found by a kindly mech as they lay dying in the wilderness outside their city. He gave them fuel from his own supplies and called for a transport so they could be taken somewhere to recover. He went with them, as they were very young and he didn’t want anything else unfortunate to befall them._

_When the princes woke in the medical facility, they were relieved to be online and surprised that they had been helped and watched over by a stranger from another city. The kindly mech introduced himself as Hound and asked them to explain what had happened to them._

_When the princes finished their story, Hound was upset. News of the attack had not reached his home in Gygax and he had been on his way to meet with a friend in Altihex when he had found the princes. He was worried for his friend and angry that the good king and queen had been killed by the mechs from Polyhex. He wanted very much to help the people of Altihex become free again._

_But Hound was also a smart mech and he knew that could not be done by two young princes and a simple wilderness guide. And so he made arrangements for them to go to the ruling city of Iacon and meet with another friend, who could help them tell their story to the planet’s Prime._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

“Is this real story? It not make believe story like ones her Carly read to him Daniel?”

Jazz gave Swoop a surprised look. “Of course it’s a real story. You don’t think I’d put Hound in a make believe story without asking him, do you?”

“There was kings and queens and princes on Cybertron?” Swoop gave him a skeptical look.

“There were, I swear on my spark. Kings and queens and princes and princesses, with the Prime to rule over them all. But that was a long time ago, back when Ironhide was still pretty young and I was about your age.” Jazz gave a wistful sort of sigh. “Things changed a lot after that.”

“Oh. Me am glad you Jazz tell real story. Me Swoop like that kind best.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Iacon was a much larger city than the princes had ever seen. It had everything: shops, schools, military training grounds, places dedicated to art and science and music. If the princes hadn’t loved their own city so very much, they might have been tempted to stay forever. But they were determined to free their people from the empire of Polyhex and avenge the deaths of the king and queen._

_Hound’s friend was a noblemech named Mirage. Mirage had many contacts among the senators in the city and they had helped him arrange a speaking time before the entire senate for the princes. They would be able to tell their story to the senate, and possibly the Prime himself, and find a way to take Altihex back._

_While they waited for their appointed speaking time, Mirage helped the princes get cleaned up and taught them a little bit about addressing the senate, which was different from speaking before their creators’ court. Whistler was very nervous about the idea, but Symphony was confident and sure that they could speak well and get the help they needed._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Jazz paused in his story as First Aid approached Swoop’s berth. The Protectobot gave them both a lightly reprimanding look. “Jazz, Swoop is supposed to be resting, not listening to stories.”

“Aww, Aid, you know I wouldn’t keep him awake for a story that I could tell later.” Jazz gave the medic a winning grin. “Swoop was awake when I came over to check on Prowl and we thought a story might help him feel better.”

“We?” First Aid’s sounded skeptical.

“Not be mad,” Swoop said. “Him Jazz ask if him can help make me feel better and me Swoop ask for story. Him only want help.”

The medic sighed. “I’m not mad, Swoop. But Ratchet will be if you wake any of the others, so keep it down.”

“No worries, my mech.” Jazz smiled again. “We’ll be quiet as cybercats. You want to say for story hour?”

“I’m afraid I can’t.” First Aid shook his head. “I was on my way to recharge after I looked in on Groove. The others refuse to settle down until I’ve checked him again.”

Jazz nodded understandingly. “Brothers always do worry, even when they’re trying to act tough.”

“That they do.” First Aid sighed again. “Both of you, get some rest soon. Story time is not worth overstraining yourselves.”

“We will. Just as soon as the princes get home.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_When the time came for the princes to speak before the senate, they were brave and stood tall. They told their story as completely as they could and they plead for any help the ruling body would give them. The council listened and nodded and there were many angry voices when they heard what had been done._

But in the end, the Prime himself came before the princes and told them that the army of Iacon would not help them.

And to make matters worse, he said the princes were banned from Iacon. They had to leave immediately or they would be turned over to the Polihexian bounty hunters who were searching for them.

In fear, the princes ran back to their friends, not knowing what else they could do.

The four of them made a plan that would, they hoped, keep the princes safe. The bounty hunters would be looking for two noblemechs from Altihex, not a servant in the Crystal Towers or a wilderness guide in Gygax. The princes would split up, one going with Mirage and one going with Hound, and have their outer plating altered to be less recognizable. Someday, when they were older and stronger, a new plan would be made to take their city back from the empire of Polyhex.

And though the princes didn’t want to, they said goodbye to each other that night cycle and didn’t see each other again for many vorns.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for [](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/)**prowlxjazz** 's April 2011 Challenge. the themes were royalty and wedding.

“That awful! That bad Prime! Me hope him was smashed by Megatron.”

Jazz gave the Dinobot a rueful smile. He couldn’t say he argued with the sentiment at all. “Well, this Prime was a while before Megatron was on the scene. And I promise, he got what he deserved. But it’s not part of this story.”

Swoop sighed. “You have to tell bad Prime story later then. Me want know what happen.”

“That I can do, my mech.” Jazz stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna go grab an energon goody or two out of Ratchet’s stash. You want some?”

The Dinobot nodded. “Me like green, if him have any.”

“All righy.” The saboteur grinned and then walked—a bit stiffly—to the storage cabinet where Ratchet kept his not-so-secret stash of energon goodies. He pulled a few out and then made his way back to the stool.

Once he had settled back down and handed out the treats, Swoop pinned him with a frown. “Now hurry up and get to happy part of story!

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Symphony traveled with Hound to the city of Gygax, which was not as grand as Iacon or Altihex. But it was peaceful and beautiful and full of people who were happy to welcome Hound’s new apprentice._

_They had stopped in a small town along the way to alter Symphony’s plating so that no one would recognize him once they entered the city. Gygax had been one of Altihex’s best trading partners and it would not have been unreasonable for someone to spot him if they hadn’t stopped first. As a result, though, Symphony entered the city as a different mech than he had been during his previous life._

_The prince learned a great deal from Hound. Not only about being a wilderness guide, but about the world around him. The common mechs were different than mechs from the palace in Altihex, different from the palace servants as well, and getting to know them and how they acted was an adventure all of its own. He missed his brother greatly while he was in Gygax, but Symphony was able to mourn his parents there and begin to build a new life for himself._

_They were happy in Hound’s small home near Ankmor Park, until another stranger entered the town a few vorns after Symphony’s arrival._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Not stop now!” Swoop protested as Jazz paused in his narration to pull a small vial out of his subspace.

“I’ll only be a minute, Swoop.” The older mech opened the vial carefully and poured the contents into his mouth. He swallowed with a grimace, and then gave the Dinobot a smile. “Had to take my supplements, so that my self-repair would actually integrate the patches sometime soon. You know how Ratch gets if we don’t.”

“Yes, him get mad!” The younger mech chuckled. “One time him Ratchet was so mad at him Grimlock for not doing what him was told, that him Ratchet tie him Grimlock to medical berth and pour medicine into mouth!”

Jazz shared Swoop’s humor at that mental image. How Ratchet managed to get Grimlock tied down to anything would be a mystery for the ages, but he would most certainly pour vile tasting supplement mixtures down someone’s intake. “Bet none of you ever tried to get out of taking them again.”

“No. Me Swoop not want be tied down.”

“Me either.” The saboteur set the vial on the edge of Swoop’s berth with a smile. “So, back to the story.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_The stranger was injured when he staggered in through the wilderness preserve, looking like he had been in a vicious fight and lost terribly. Hound brought him to their house after finding him at the border of the park and gave him enough first aid treatment to keep him online until the medic could arrive from the city proper. Symphony hid from the stranger in his room, afraid to let the mech see him._

_For the mech was not a stranger to him._

_The stranger’s name was Prowl, and he had been a guard captain for the crown prince of Praxus who was a good friend of his father’s. He had often seen the guard, and the guard had often seen him. They had, on rare occasions, even taken fuel together. If anyone would be able to find him out, it would be Prowl._

_For the first time since he and his brother had run from the Polyhexian guards, Symphony was terrified._

_But he could not hide forever, no matter how much he wanted to. He had to take fuel and he had to go outside to take his shift in the wilderness preserve. There was no avoiding the guard, once the medic had tended to him as he had to remain in Hound’s home while he was recovering._

_Somehow, Symphony managed to minimize their time together until he was trapped inside the house with Prowl. If not for that, they could have continued on indefinitely without the prince giving away his cover to the guard._

_No one had thought to alter the prince’s vocal tone when his plating was altered and so, during their first conversation Prowl found him out._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Swoop’s expression had grown shocked when he heard Prowl’s name, but he managed to restrain himself from commenting for at least a few minutes more. “Him _Prowl_ know prince? That make him very old.”

Jazz chuckled. “Don’t tell him that. He doesn’t feel that old most of the time.”

“Him not seem that old, either.” Swoop’s shocked expression turned into an embarrassed smile. 

“Nope, he sure doesn’t.” the saboteur looked over his shoulder and grinned at the offline tactician. 

“Tell what happen next! What him Prowl do?”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Prowl, of course, was shocked when he realized who Symphony was. He had believed Hound’s story that the younger mech was the creation of mechs who had named their offspring to honor the Altihexan prince and had not considered any other options. After all, the Polyhexian bounty hunters were convinced the princes were hiding together in one of the larger cities._

_Had they continued not speaking, Prowl would have moved on and never known the truth._

_Once Prowl had realized that Symphony was one of the missing princes, the young mech told him what had happened to them. The guard’s optics blazed with anger when he heard how the Prime had dismissed and threatened them, and the softened in sympathy when he heard how they had separated for their own safety in the hopes that one day things could be set right. And he smiled softly when he described learning to live as a common mech and finding happiness in it._

_When the prince’s story was over, Prowl knelt down before the young mech. And with words Symphony would never forget, he pledged his allegiance to the prince of Altihex._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“What him Prowl say?!”

“Can’t tell you that. It’s a mystery, lost to the ages.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Symphony was shocked that Prowl would swear his allegiance to him. After all, the older mech was the guardian for the Praxian ambassador and had duties to him. But Prowl explained that the Praxian ambassador had been murdered along with most of the royal court. The ambassador’s last words were a plea to Prowl that he find the missing princes and guard them as he would his own lord, an action he would have taken immediately if he had not been taken prisoner by the Polihexian soldiers. His injuries had been sustained during his escape and he had no idea how he had managed to run, and then walk and finally stagger, so very far._

_The prince could think of only one reason. “You must have been meant to find me.”_

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

_Once he knew the princes’ secret, Prowl agreed that Whistler was best left in the care of Mirage and his family in the distant Crystal Towers. It was doubtful that the bounty hunters would ever think to look there, even if they did finally accept the idea that the two princes would be safer apart. The Polyhexians and the hunters all seemed to have a very low opinion of Symphony and Whistler’s intelligence, and would not ever be likely to believe that a royal mech would be willing to become another’s servant._

_It was actually Symphony who was in the most danger, living such an active lifestyle in Gygax and Ankmor Park. They had been exceptionally lucky that Prowl had been the one to find the missing prince and not one of the hunters, something that could not be counted on to hold in the future._

_Prowl offered them an addendum to their original plan: modify Symphony’s vocalizer to utilize a different tonal range and give him a new voice. It could make it harder to prove he was the real prince in the future, but that was a sacrifice they needed to make in order to ensure his current safety. Symphony agreed, and in the quiet of the night cycle a few days later, they called the medic to Hound’s home again and gave him his instructions in deepest secrecy._

_The medic never asked why he was given those specific instructions, and even offered to make up a convincing story for why Symphony’s vocal register had changed. They would claim it was a rogue cybercat attack and claim that the young mech was lucky to have only lost his voice._

_It was a good plan and a good cover story, and it might have lasted forever. But one day, a group of soldiers from the Polyhexian army walked into the city of Gygax._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Did them find him prince?” Swoop’s optics were wide with excitement and the need to know the next part of the story.

“I’m getting to that, my mech.” Jazz patted him on the leg. “I’m getting to that. You still feeling okay? Don’t need any painkillers or anything?

“No. Me Swoop am still fine. Want more story!”

The saboteur chuckled and continued.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_It was Hound who saw the soldiers first, and he managed to make his way back to the house to warn the prince and his guard that they were coming before anyone came knocking on their door. The Polyhexians were questioning everyone they saw, demanding to know the names of anyone having come into the city in the vorns since Altihex had fallen, where they lived and what they looked like. Symphony would not match the description they had of him, but he was the right age, had arrived in the city in the right time period and had the right name. Whether they believed he was the Prince of Altihex or not, it was very likely that they would take him prisoner and possibly execute him._

_Prowl wasted no time in preparing the prince to escape. He gave Hound a few quick instructions to find them once the soldiers were gone, grabbed a few cubes of energon and pulled Symphony out of the house. They ran into Ankmor Park, a place the prince knew better than almost any other mech, to use the wilderness preserve as a hiding place._

_They hid in the park for cycles, moving from place to place to avoid the solders that began search the preserve. They were careful in their movements, leaving minimal trails and never staying in the same place twice. For a time they felt sure they would be caught, but after several of the mechs were mauled by an angry pack of cyberwolves and one was killed by a cybercat, the soldiers pulled out of Ankmor Park._

_After another few cycles, Hound finally found them near the Rust Sea and told them it was safe to come home. As they made their way back home, the guide told them proudly about how the mechs and femmes in their neighborhood all denied knowing him and how his medical files had mysteriously disappeared from the repair bay where they had been stored—along with a rather large bank of data that was being blamed on the Polyhexians as being a very bad hack job. According to everyone who knew him, there was no young mech named Symphony in the city. Prowl expressed disbelief at the claims, but he had met many of the neighbors since his arrival and knew how much they adored the prince._

_Perhaps they would remain safe in Gygax, after all._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Jazz, what happen to him other Prince?”

“We’ll get to Whistler again soon, I promise. But this story isn’t really about him.” The older mech gave the younger one a small smile. “If it was, you wouldn’t have your happy story. Whistler’s life wasn’t nearly as nice as his brother’s.”

“Oh. Maybe you tell whole story other time?”

“Sure, Swoop. I can do that.”


	3. Hidden Princes (part 3/3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for [](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://prowlxjazz.livejournal.com/)**prowlxjazz** 's April 2011 Challenge. the themes were royalty and wedding.

_Sometime during the vorn that Symphony received the upgrades that made him into a fully mature mech, word reached the city of Gygax that the Prime—the same one who had turned the princes away so long ago—had been found to be assisting the Polyhex empire in its expansion and takeover of its neighboring cities. No one knew why or what it would have been gaining him, since he was the ruler of the entire planet, but it had been at least partly his fault that so many mechs and femmes had been murdered and that so many other lives were ruined. And then, before Symphony could even decide how he felt about that, a second piece of news reached them._

_The prime had been assassinated during the night cycle, just before the formal proceedings that would remove him from power._

_The prince felt robbed when he heard that news. He wasn’t sure if he had wanted the Prime dead, but he did know that he had wanted to be present when justice was dealt. If the Prime hadn’t been colluding with the lord of Polyhex, then the king and queen would still be alive and he and Whistler would still have their old lives; he and his brother had deserved to see the mech that had so deeply wronged them brought down._

_Prowl tried to comfort him, telling him that there was still the lord of Polyhex to remove from power and that justice would still be done. And that it had been done to the Prime, even if it hadn’t been official justice. It didn’t really help the prince feel any better, but he did appreciate that his guard had tried._

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

_Not long after the news of the assassination reached them, there came even more world-changing news. The Matrix of Leadership had already chosen a new Prime, a mech named Sentinel who had come from the command structure of his home city’s security forces and had a reputation for being just and fair with his subordinates. Everyone hoped those traits would carry over into his term as Prime._

_Prowl had met Sentinel Prime once before, when the new Prime was still a young officer in the security force. He agreed with what other mechs and femmes were saying about him, and thought that he might be able to finally offer the princes some sort of assistance in throwing the Polyhexians out of Altihex and reclaiming their rightful place as the rulers of the city. Hound agreed that this might be the right time to try for the new Prime’s assistance, before the senate or the special interest organizations figured out how far they could push and manipulate their ruler._

_Quickly, Hound made a call to Mirage so that a meeting could be arranged. Prowl and Symphony prepared the supplies they would need for their trip and the prince tried very hard not to think about how terrified he was at the thought of finally seeing his brother again after so very long._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Why him prince was afraid to see him brother again? Me Swoop would be happy to see brothers after long time!”

“Well, it was complicated, Swoop.” Jazz shifted on the stool, trying to ease some of the strain and ache from his injuries. “See, he was afraid that his brother wouldn’t like him anymore. They had been apart for so long that he didn’t even know what his brother looked like anymore, and he was afraid that Whistler would be angry because Symphony had had a happy life in Gygax, even though his home and family had been taken away. Those are some scary thoughts, you know?”

Swoop nodded slowly. “That be very sad if that what happen. Him Whistler should be happy to see brother, even if brother have better life and am happy!”

“So he should,” Jazz agreed.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_Sentinel Prime did not make them wait for cycles before he would meet with them, the way the old Prime and senate had made them wait before. He wanted to see them so quickly that Symphony and Whistler barely had time to look at one another before being ushered into a small, private office inside the Senate Hall. Only Sentinel Prime and two guards waited for them inside, a reasonable match for two just-adult princes and Prowl—who refused to leave Symphony’s side. Hound and Mirage waited outside the room with a third guard while the princes met with the Prime._

_Immediately, the Prime informed them that there had been many pretenders to their positions since he received his new position, and demanded to know what made them any different from the mechs who had come before them._

_Both princes were offended that there had been pretenders trying to lie to the Prime and steal their positions and home and Whistler said as much. Symphony did his best to soothe his brother before he began telling the Prime their story._

_Sentinel Prime listened intently to their words, making an occasional note on the datapad in front of him. When they finished speaking, he nodded and dismissed the princes to the hallway, saying that he wished to speak to Prowl alone. Symphony worried a little about what that meant, but he went quietly into the hallway with his brother._

_Whistler hugged Symphony tightly when they were out in the hall, and Symphony hugged back tightly enough that he thought he might dent his brother’s plating. They talked while Prowl was questioned, catching up on the details of their lives. Whistler had led a hard life as a servant in the Crystal Towers, as Mirage couldn’t risk his identity by giving him any special favors but he wasn’t angry or bitter at Symphony because of his happier life. In fact, they were both just so happy to see each other again that nothing else really mattered._

_Prowl came out of the office after a very long groon of questioning and sent Hound in. Sentinel Prime, it seemed, was going to be very thorough in finding out if the princes really were who they said they were._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Me am glad him Whistler not mad.” Swoop gave Jazz a happy smile.

“Symphony was glad too. He had missed his brother a lot while he was in Gygax.” Jazz returned the Dinobot’s smile. “You getting tired yet? This is a good place to stop if you are.”

Swoop shook his head. “No, me can still listen.”

“Okay then.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_It took several cycles and many more question and answer sessions before Sentinel Prime was satisfied that the Princes were who they claimed to be. Even after that, they sometimes felt that he wasn’t entirely convinced, but instead of continuing to question them, the Prime and several of his advisors sat with the princes and began planning their return home._

_The Polyhex Empire was large and dangerous and Sentinel felt that it had to be dismantled before it was too strong to stop if the lord of Polyhex decided he wanted all of Cybertron for himself. All of the Prime’s advisors and Prowl agreed with that idea and so they made plans to return as many of the original ruling families as possible to the conquered cities as they were liberated._

_Being inexperienced in the ways of war, except for that one horrifying night as their parents were killed, Symphony and Whistler were both terrified of the idea. They were being taught how to fight and defend themselves, but they did not want to see their friends doing the same—and possibly dying in the process. Neither prince, for all that they wanted to force the Polyhexians out of their home, was sure that the lives of any of the mechs who had helped them were a fair price._

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

_One vorn from the cycle that Sentinel Prime announced his plan to break up the Polyhex Empire and remove its lord from power, Iacon’s military forces moved out from the planetary capital and marched toward Altihex. If the assault was successful, the city and its princes would end up becoming a symbol for the entire campaign, but even if it wasn’t then the Symphony and Whistler would have at least gotten a chance to reclaim their home._

_The princes marched bravely along with the military mechs, thought they did not feel that they were, in any way, prepared to do battle alongside them. Whistler had built up his anger at their situation during the past vorn, hoping it would give him enough strength to get through everything. Symphony had simply learned all he could about combat and strategy and confided his fears in his guard during the night cycle. Anger wouldn’t do them any good, he knew, it would only keep him from thinking clearly._

_Prowl had done what he could to comfort the young mech, but they were marching into war and only so much could be soothed away. He hoped that things would not be as dire as he foresaw and that Symphony would quickly be able to return to a happy life._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Jazz paused in his narrative to stand up and stretch. “Gimme a minute, Swoop. Things are starting to hurt from sitting on that stool for too long.”

“Okay. You Jazz need get pain killer?” Swoop gave him a concerned look.

“Nah, I’m good.” The saboteur paced the walkway in front of Swoop and Prowl’s berths a few times before sitting back down. “Just needed to stretch things out a little.”

“So what happen next?”

“Well…”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_The assault on Altihex went almost flawlessly. The Polyhexian troops stationed there either hadn’t believed the Prime’s announcement or they hadn’t realized that the Iacon military was on the move already, because they were completely unprepared for the assault and surrendered before the battle had really even begun and the city’s acting lord had surrendered moments after Sentinel Prime had stepped into the throne room._

_It was almost too easy, but Symphony and Whistler had finally liberated their home._

_The only problem they had left was figuring out which of them would be king, as their creators had left no instructions on that matter. That worried Symphony more than a little, as he wasn’t sure he wanted to be king, not after having been so very happy among the common mechs in Gygax for so long. But he knew he would do it, if Whistler refused or Sentinel Prime ordered it. He had come back to liberate his people, and he owed it to them to continue to protect them in the future._

_When he confessed that fear to Prowl, the guard simply smiled and repeated the allegiance promise he had made to the prince so many vorns before._

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Then what happen?” Swoop’s voice was soft and full of sleep finally, but like the youngling he really was in age, he was fighting to stay online and keep his optics lit.

“I’ll tell you in the morning, Swoop. You get your rest, or Ratchet’ll turn us both into wall decorations.” Jazz smiled and pulled the young mech’s thermal regulating wrap around his shoulders. “Or we can save it for bed time tomorrow if you like.”

“No, you tell me Swoop story first thing. Me want know… ending…” the Dinobot drifted off so quickly that Jazz wasn’t even sure he had consciously finished his sentence.

“Good recharge,” the saboteur said quietly. Then he turned to tuck the stool back into its corner by Prowl’s berth. He was startled when he saw the tactician’s optics faintly lit and tracking his movements. “How long have you been awake?”

Prowl gave him a small smile. “Long enough. Finish the story, Jazz. I’ve never heard it told quite that way before.”

“Sure.” Jazz returned the other mech’s smile and sat back down on the stool.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_In the end, Whistler solved their problem because he actually wanted to be king. The people of Altihex threw their support behind their new king immediately and Sentinel Prime had no real objection to the ascension. The Prime left a staff of trusted advisors behind in Altihex as their battle campaign moved on to the next conquered city to help ease Whistler into his new role and Symphony was left to find his own place in the new world his life had become._

_He moved out of the palace after a few cycles. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help his brother, but he wasn’t comfortable with being inside the palace walls anymore. He had grown used to living out among the common mechs, and he missed that lifestyle intensely. And, even though Whistler wanted him there, there wasn’t a need for the prince to be fused to his brother’s side all the time._

_The people of the city welcomed their prince among them with open arms. They happily found him a house and supplied him with all the fuel he needed, even when he protested that he could get what he needed from his brother. They took care of him as an expression of their love and of their happiness at being free again and it humbled him._

_And Prowl stayed with him through it all. After all, he hadn’t pledged his loyalty until Altihex was free, he had pledged it forever._

_And once everything settled down and life got back to normal, it didn’t take Symphony long to realize how much he valued Prowl. The older mech’s steady guidance and wisdom had seen him through many problems and his protectiveness had saved his life. Prowl was more than just a friend to him, more than just a guardian, but he had no idea how to put that into words. Surprisingly, it was Prowl who said the words first._

_“I love you, my prince.”_

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“And how hard those words were for him to say the first time,” Prowl mused with a smile.

“But he said them. And that made all the difference in the universe.” Jazz returned his smile.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_They were bonded on a bright day during Symphony’s ninetieth vorn of life. It was a young age for a bonding, but Symphony knew Prowl was his perfect mate and Prowl, for all his greater age, had never wanted any other. They were a good match and their union had the blessing of the rulers of Altihex, Praxus and the Prime himself. The ceremony was held in the city square so that as many of Altihex’s people could attend as possible, and they turned out en masse. The square was packed beyond capacity and so were the stoops, doorways windows and rooftops of the surrounding buildings. The people were glad that their prince was bonding for love, unlike their king who had bonded to a mech from Tyger Pax to seal an alliance._

As they spoke their vows to each other, Cybertron passed close by a brilliant yellow star and it bathed them in its light as if Primus’ himself blessed their union. And in the warmth of that light, they began their life together all over again.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“No ‘and they lived happily ever after’?” Prowl gave him an amused look.

“Well,” Jazz replied, leaning over so that he could kiss the older mech. “They’re still working on that ‘ever after’ part.”

“I see.” The tactician returned the kiss happily, then he gave his mate a warm smile. “Even now, you’re the only mech I have ever wanted. I love you, my prince.”

“I love you too, Prowl.” With a return smile, Jazz crawled carefully into the medical berth with Prowl and snuggled up against the older mech’s side.

Prowl wrapped his arms around the former prince and held him close. “Until the stars burn out and Primus calls me to the matrix, Jazz. I will be by your side.”  



End file.
